Who discovered Australia? 10 things you didn’t know (maybe)

Who discovered Australia? Difficult to know the beginnings but great names are associated to this feat: Willem Janszoon, Gerrit De Witt, Abel Janszoon Tasman, Captain Cook…

Australian flag

It’s difficult to discern what Spanish (Luis Vaez de Torres) and Portuguese sailors knew in the 16th century. There were some Portuguese maps which told about and island south of Java. Governments kept secret their discoveries in Asia and above all, in Oceania for fear of the English and Dutch interests. They had started their colonization.

They have reasons because soon, a group of Netherlander informed about the area. Willem Janszoon, Dirk Hartog, Gerrit De Witt, Pieter Nuyts and Frans Thijszoon.

But the most important was Abel Janszoon Tasman, who gave name to Tasmania.

Abel Janszoon Tasman took possession of Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand for his government but afterwards, Holland let the rights expire.

The April 29, 1770, the British navigator James Cook, who came from New Zealand, landed on the south end of the Australian coast and began a thorough exploration.

Cook could demonstrate New Guinea and Australia were two separate islands.

Captain James Cook also wrote an interesting and sharp memories that aroused intense curiosity in his country and imposed British rule in these territories with all requirements of the law.

Soon, England started to send prisoners to Australia and a thousand inmates arrived at Botany Bay.

Another remarkable feat was made by Edward John Eyre (1815-1901) from the Great Australian Bight to King George’s Sound.

Only the discovery of gold deposits caused massive migration of people and the abolition of the prison system.